Fence post insulator



July 28, 1942- R. G. lNGERsoLL FENCE POST INSULATOR Filed Feb. 17, 1939 50 jive/Z507 Patented July 1942 S PATENT QFFICE FENCE POST INSULATOR Roy C. Ingersoll, Winnetka, lll., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 17, 1339, Serial No. 256,964

1 Claim.

This invention relates to wire insulators and their supports and particularly to an arrangement of this type adaptable to wire fences carrying an electric current. It is the practice in many wire fence installations for confining cattle to impose a small charge of electricity on the wires composing the fence with the result that the cattle become educated to avoid contact with the fence and hence the enormous repair bill normally presented by lthe usual fence installations is avoided. It is readily appreciated that in this type of installation the problem of providing an efficient yet economical insulation of the wires from the supporting posts is an important and difficult one, and it is to the solution of this problem that the present invention is directed.

It is an object to provide a novel insulator and insulator support for the reception of a horizontally extending wire which will be relatively cheap to manufacture and install and which will effect improved results over the structures heretofore available.

It is a more specific object to provide a special form of opening in a fence post and a special form of semi-flexible insulator for reception in said opening which, whenI installed, embraces the horizontally extending wire and presents an uninterrupted interior surface for preventing the A inadvertent contact of said wire with the post.

A still more detailed object is the provision I of a special form of opening in a fence post for the` reception of a specially formed insulator including an axially extending slit in the side thereof for the lateral introduction of a horizontally extending wire, the special form of the opening in combination with the special construction `of the insulator being effective to maintain the faces of said slit in closely adjacent relation when said insulator is installed in the opening in said post whereby to prevent the inadvertent passage of the wire throughA said slit into contact with the post.

It is a still further detailed object to provide in the above type of structure a special form of opening in the post for the reception of a specially constructed insulator whereby the turning of the insulator about one quarter turn subsequent to the introduction of the wire is effective to move the faces of the slit in the insulator to either a closely adjacent or actual compressed contact relation for preventing the inadvertent passage of the wire out through the slit into contact with the post.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of my invention Will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the drawing which forms a part thereof and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view showingva section of fence incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section substantially on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 but showing the insulator with the slit therein positioned for reception of a wire;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l showing my improved insulator in its normally installed position wherein it has been turned through substantially a quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 2 for bringing the faces of the slit therein in closely adjacent relation;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Fig. l;

Figs. 5, 6 and 'I show a second modification of insulator and post combination together with one method of installing the same;

Figs. 8 and 9 show an alternative method of introducing the wire into the insulator of the combination shown in Figs'. 5 to 7; and

Fig. 10 shows still another modification of my post and wire insulator combination.

Referring in greater detail to the figures of the drawing, I have illustrated by way of example in Fig. 1, a section of a fence embodying my invention and including fence posts IIJ having flanges I I formed with specially constructed openings for the reception of grommets or electrical insulators I2 likewise of a special construction. Electric current conductive fence wires I3 are installed in a special manner within insulators I2 andshown by way of illustration as being supplied with a suitable current of electricity from battery I4 under the control of switch I5. My invention is not directed to nor is it affected by the particular arrangement of current supply employed, the same being equally useful with various forms of circuits. In the first embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 2 through 4, flange I I of po'st I0 is formed with a generally elongated or elliptical-like opening I6 therein for the reception and support of insulator I2 in a novel manner that will appear. As illustrated, this elongated or elliptical-like opening is composed of arcuate end portions I'I of a. relatively small radius joined by elongated arcuate side portions I8 of increased radius. Communicating with one elongated side portion I8 between the extremities thereof is a slot I 9 providing for the lateral introduction of wire I3 in a manner that will appear.

The grommet or electrical insulator I2 of Figs. 2 to 4 is generally tubular in shape and formed with a centrally extending opening 2l therethrough for the reception of wire I3. This insulator is formed about its periphery with spaced protuberant flanges 22 and 2l which denne with the intervening outer periphery 2l of the insulator an annular groove indicated generally at 2l. Protuberant flange 22 is formed with an outwardly converging conical face 2l for facilitating the introduction of the insulator into opening It, The introduction of the insulator into the opening I6 may be readily accomplished by first placing the conical face 2t in contact with opening I6 and applying sufiicient coaxial pressure to the insulator to came its compression and passage of flange 23 through the opening whereupon the insulator again expands to bring the peripheral portion 24 thereof into contact with the wall portions I1 and I8 of opening It, ange 2l resuming its normal expanded condition and effecting together with nange 22. a locked relation with the surrounding wall of opening Il.

Insulator I2 is further particularly characterized by the fact that it is formed with a slit in the side thereof defined by faces 21 which are positioned inthe manner shown in Fig. 2 adaptable for the introduction of wire I! when the insulator is turned to present the slit donned by the faces 21 adjacent slot Il.

When wire I3 has been inserted in the insulator the same is locked therein in a novel manner against both contact with the sides of opening I and against becoming removed through slots I9. This locking is effected by turning insulator I2 through about one quarter turn. By virtue of the elongated shape of opening Il this turning of insulator I2 causes the same to he compressed and to thus bring faces 21 in close compressed contact relation with each other es indicated in Fig. 3.

Insulator I2 may be made of any well known semi-rigid electrically non-conductive material such, for example, as hard rubber, semi-hard rubber and fabric or semi-hard rubber and steel wire or any well known combination 'of these materials. I prefer to make the nange 22 somewhat more resilient than the remainder of the insulator, since this facilitates the introduction into the opening Il. 'I'he desired relative difference in the resiliency of different portions of the insulator may be obtained by constructing the central portion of the insulator about a steel wire as will be described in connection with subsequent figures.

The above construction of insulator and supporting opening therefor thus provides a number of important advantages. First,` there is provided an effective yet relatively inexpensive support and lock between the insulator and the post. Secondly, there is provided a novel structure of insulator and support therefor wherein the wire can be quickly introduced through a slot in the post and a slit in the insulator and subsequently locked in place against either removal from the insulator or electrical contact with the side walls of the opening formed in the post by simply turning the insulator about one quarter turn.

Figs. to 7 illustrate an alternative arrangement differing principalb in the fact that a substantially circular insulator and opening therefor is employed and further, in the manner of introduction of the wires. In this modification post It is formed with a substantially circular opening in flange Il. Communicating with thelateralintroductionofthewirellinamannertobedescribed.

Insulator 22 is substantially circular in shape formed with ntraiopeningsl forthereception ofwirellandaslitinthesidethereofdefined byfacestlfortheintroductionofwire I8. The perimeteroftheopeningliniiangeIIismade substantially the same as the perimeter about bottoinwailllofpel'lphv eralgmovelalaboutintrol portions of the insulator relativ to the outer part thereof I have indicated a spring steel wire Il. This wire preferably does not extend to the faces I4, since among other things this facilitates the introduction of wire Il within the insulator.

One method that may be employed in installingthestructureofllgato'lcomprisesdrst placing the insulator I2 about the wire Il by i'lrstspreadingthefacesMasindicatedinFigJ and inserting the wire therein, Following this operation the insulator is next presented with the conical face Il thereof in contact with the side of opening Il and suiiicient axial pressure applied to the insulator to cause the compression and introduction thereof into the opening Il. with wall in close contact with the wall of the opening and faces u of the slit held in closely djgagent or compressed relation as indicated ln A second method that may be employed in installing the structure disclosed in Pigs. 5 to 7 is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In accordance with this technique, the insulator I2 is ilrst positioned within the supporting opening 20 in much the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 6 and including the presentation of conical face 2l into contact with the opening Il andthe application of sufiicient coaxial pressure to the insulator to cause its movement into locking relation with the opening. When thewire llistobeinstalledthefaces 24 delining the slit are moved into position opposite theslotliintheange II andthewire Il next placed in contact with the outer edge of the slit. Pressure is applied to the wire to thereby force the wall portions of the insulator adjacent the faces 2| and for some distance therefrom to bend inwardly to thus allow the entrance of the wire Il into the Insulator. This bending of the sidewallportionsisindicatedastakingplace generally about points s. When the wire Il has made its entrance into the insulator. the wall ing entry for the wire I2. These second points,

tweenthesidewalldeiiningportions of slot andthesidewallsofopeningll andaredeaignated at Il.' In other words. the points 8O .become the fulcrum points about which the aide wallportionsoftheinsulatormustbedistorted onesideofopeningtlisaslotllprovidingfor rg inordertopermitoftheegressofwire from l he field. For example,

the slot 3|. It is apparent that with an insulator semi-rigid in character that points 39 will be too closely spaced arcuately with respect to the faces 34 to permit of suiiicient distortion of the side wall portions of the insulator to result in the inadvertent passage of wire I3 through the slit dened by faces 34.

It will be seen that this latter technique of installation has certain desirable advantages over the preceding proposed practice, including the fact that the insulators may for example be installed at the factory prior to shipment to eliminate the amount'of Work that must be done in by following the practice oi installing all of the insulators in a line of posts and then following this operation by installing the wirey as diierentiated from the practice sugand "l wherein` gested in connection with'Figs. 2 the insulator would be installed in connection with the operation of introducing the wire.

Referring to the modification shown in- Fig. 10, I have illustrated a postl section 5I! thathas been perforated in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. '1 to provide an opening referred to generally at 5I wherein the wall portions 52 and 53 have been moved in opposite directions relative to the plane of the post 50 to provide a thread-like opening for the reception of a complementarily threaded wire insulator indicated generally at 54. The insulator 54 is formed with a somewhat enlarged head portion 55 and reduced portion 56, a thread 51 being formed about the reduced portion 56 complementary to and arranged for reception in a thread defined by the surrounding wall of the opening 5I. A coaxial slot 58 corresponding to that shown in Figs. 5 to 9 is provided for the introduction of a wire to be supported by the insulator 54. rThe wire to be inserted may be readily'introduced either in the manner de scribed in connection with Figs. 5 to 7, or in the manner described in connection with Figs. 8

vand 9.

While I prefer to form a supporting opening for the insulator for the above figures directly in a flange in the post itself, it will of course be apparent that in some installations the member 'in which the opening is formed may as readily be a separate member adapted for attachment to a post.

It will of course be understood that no attempt has been made to follow the actual size of the various elements or their relative sizes to each 5 said opening.

other. For example, in actual practice, the wire I3 will be more nearly the same size as the interior of the insulator. This wire can, of course, never actually be as large as the interior of the insulator, since it must pass through the slot I9 in the post and this slot in turn must be considerably less in width than the largest dimensions of the opening I1 or 30, as the case may be, to prevent the inadvertent discharge through the slot of the insulator. These relative sizes will, of course, be determined by the particular installation concerned and I do not wish to be limited by any relative size otherthan those necessary to make the structure function in the manner above described. Y v

While I have disclosed my invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, I nevertheless contemplate other arrangements as coming within the teaching of my invention and I do not wish to be limited further than as indicated in the appended claim which should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

I claim:

In combination a post and a wire insulator, means on said post defining a supporting opening for the insulator, a slot formed in the side of said means for the lateral introduction of said wire, a tubular semi-flexible wire-receiving electrical insulator formed with a slit in the side wall thereof for the lateral introduction of said wire and formed about the periphery thereof with an annular groove adapted to be forced into embraced relation with said opening deflning means in response to the application of a predetermined axial pressure to said insulator, said supporting opening being elongated in shape, said slot in the side of said supporting means being in communication with one of the elongated sides of said supporting opening, said insulator being turnable to a position where said slit therein is juxtaposed with respect to said slot for the lateral introduction of said shape of said opening being effective in response to the subsequent turning of said insulator about one quarter of a turn .to cause the compression of said insulator to bring the faces of said slit in closely adjacent relation to each other whereby to prevent the inadvertent passage of said wire into contact with the wall of norl c. ruofnasorir..

through said slit wire, said elongated 

